"That it?" I ask my father as I hold my breath and carefully inspect the collection of rings, necklaces and pendants on the table.
"Well, if that's all you have, then yes, we're done," he says.
"So, she killed you for something like this?" I ask, as I move my finger tip across the smooth surface of the gold necklace I hold in my hand.
"Killed me? Honey, I don't die very often, but yes, that was the final straw that made it look like it had finally been worth the sacrifices I made. This collection is the only one that replaces the one she took. Only those of us who have loved and lost forget but never forgive," he says.
"So what punishments did you get in the afterlife for being such a womanizer and gambler?" I ask, as I place the necklace back on the table with the others. I look around the room at the other collectibles as I wait for his answer.
"I had to be the one who answered all the prayers of people who were in dire need of help. It was a dirty job, especially when they were abuse victims, hungry or abused in any way. I mean, it was even worse when they were turned away," he says in a sorry voice.
While I don't doubt that that was a terrible job, I can't deny the smirk that's playing across my lips as I think of the irony of it, that being his punishment for his conquest of all the women he could get his hands on was actual compassion. He can see the smile on my face.
"Honey, you might be the only person I've ever met to be smiling at the thought of my second life's miserable outcome. It's not exactly what you expected. We are condemned to spend eternity alone and without nay money or possessions."
"Is that why you even told me you had a second life? Are you just lonely now that she's gone?" I ask.
"This is too much for you to take in at once. I know. Let's take it slow, "he says, as he comes to sit across from me, grasping my hands in his.
"Okay, so I have my mother's super strength, agility, and flight."
"Yes, and her blood and super speed and agility, as well as a super hearing and sight."
"So, I also have the ability to teleport, to draw and control the air," I examine while he nods. "Really cool. Anything else?" I ask him.
"Well, there's..." he starts in reply.
"Wait, wait, wait. Always leave them wanting more. That's what they teach you in marketing," I point out.
"You are your father's daughter," he says with a grin.
"What were you going to say?" I ask
"She has been trying to get you passed on to your next life for a long time."
"Wait, wait, wait. Didn't you just say that I had my mother's abilities, not pass them on to my next life? The next life? I'm not going to move to another town or something?"
"Honey, no. You're not moving anywhere. What I'm saying is that you were supposed to hand some of your abilities on to your child. I know that it has been especially hard for you in the past few years, especially after the accident, and we were so happy the day that you got married and were able to have a full blooded child. We were so happy when you told us you were pregnant."
"These abilities were supposed to be passed on to my child?"
"Yes, you were supposed to have a full blooded child. Your mother got to thank you in her own way as she had a girl, like you, and she raised her in secret to take over as the next Cosmic Mist. This child was supposed to take your place in the public eye. She was supposed to save the metropolis and keep its people safe. You were supposed to teach her and prepare her to take over as the next Cosmic Mist. Your legacy would live on."
"Why did she take me and not her own daughter? Why didn't you tell me this about my... about you?" my question sounds more like a cry. I can feel the tears filling in my eyes, but I blink a few times and try to hold it back.
I can barely see him, as he maneuvers his position, as he comes to sit closer to me and puts his arm around me. I'm trying to hold it back, but with my mother's death and now this, before I know what's happening, tears start to stream down my cheeks and I begin to shiver. I can feel his hand rubbing up and down my arm.
"I'm sorry, honey. I know how hard this has been for you," he says, his voice full of sadness.
"I'm so sorry," I say, as I sniffle trying to stop the tears from falling.
"It's okay, Mabel."
"This is so much to take in, and I feel like I'm not even understanding half of what you're telling me. There's more, right? Please, just tell me everything."
"Honey, please, look at me. You can't even hear the words that are coming out of my mouth, or even see my expression. How do you expect to take in so much information?" he asks me.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Wow. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay. You're right, I don't need to look at you to sense that you are ready to work through it. You were in such a state when you requested that I show you the evidence of your past lives, and I didn't expect it to be like this for you. I'm not sure you'll ever be able to accept it. And right now, you've just had to take in the fact that your mother is dead, and I've yet to answer the very question you had asked me before. You've taken in the knowledge that I am dead, the fact that she will never be back, and the fact that you have abilities that she painstakingly groomed you for. You just lost her. You need to be alone for a little while so I can answer all your questions. You just lost your mother and all I've done is talk about the past lives you seem to be head over heels for. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." he says as he keeps talking over me.
"That's fine. You don't need to listen to all that at the time. I just need to get through this," I finally calm down. "Why didn't she tell me this earlier? Why not just show me the gun instead of bringing it all back?"
"We had been traveling through time for many years, and we knew that things were going to happen soon. We knew the world was coming to an end. We knew something had to be done about it. If you think about it, why would we just kill you and pass on? How would that benefit you? Your father was helping us to take action. We had to get more information. He went back in time and saved your mother. He was going to show you a clairvoyant vision of his old body and of your family. You wouldn't have believed it. Things had to be done in their own time. You see, we have always been in a time of change and I know you know this. We have caused many changes over the years. This is the end of world five, or the end of time five as you know it," he says as he sadly looks at me.
"Where did you guys send us?"
He sighed and looked around. "I guess it's inevitable, isn't it? You're the next prime of humanity. You have the abilities to change everything. I guess we just had to send you somewhere. You're heading towards the next stage in human evolution, one that was prophesized by your ancestors. You're going to be the next cosmic mist, and you're going to save the world. I know this because I'm watching you. You're only eleven years old, young Mabel, but already you're more powerful than I ever was at your age."
"You're watching me?" I ask stunned.
"Yes. I'm watching you and I'm already more powerful than the Cosmic Mist. You're going to be able to stop this Armageddon and save the world. Somehow, we knew that the next girl that would be born would be the one. This is how it was supposed to be, and we are at peace. I know that you feel it, but I'm sorry that this was brought to you before you were ready, or if it was even possible to receive it now, at your age. I never thought that I would ever meet this Mabel before. You're going to be a tremendous asset to the next generation."
"Okay. I may, or may not, have this ability. I don't know what to believe. But why not just give me a clairvoyant vision? I'm here and I'm willing to work on my memories. Maybe I could accept this whole thing. Maybe I could be myself, be you and be your daughter. I just want my mom back," I say sadly, as I hold onto the pockets of my pants.
"I still don't know if this will work. You haven't seen everything yet. I guess we should finish before we really get into this. I still haven't answered your question from before. I don't think I can give you a mirror image of yourself," he says.
"That's fine. I'm not sure I want to look at a mirror right now. I did look so much like my mother."
"I know. But this either worked or it didn't. It was a risk we needed to take. We're sure that there's still some characteristics that you share with her. You're so strong right now. You've had so many enemies, and you've taken in the information so easily. You've almost had an understanding since you were first created," he says to me.
"Created?" I ask confused.
"We needed to make you one dimensional, an object to save the world, so that you can accomplish what needs to be done. You have abilities now; you have awareness you weren't supposed to have, that we weren't sure you would have. You needed to move from one dimensional to three dimensional. Humans also need to evolve to three dimensional. It's your destiny, and it's already happened, young Mabel."
"So I'm still you? I don't even know if I have any of your memories in me. I don't even have any of your physical characteristics. I don't even know my name. What is it?" I asked him.
"It's Charlie, Charlie Farthest, and it suits you very well," he said with a smile.
I thought about this for a moment. "I'm not sure. It's just so unreal to me. I feel like I just fell off of a boat. I just feel like I've been dropped into the sun."
"It's okay, dear. I'm sorry if this was a bit on the hard side. I'll turn on the gas so you can drowse off. We need to continue tomorrow. I'll show you everything you need to know. Then we'll decide what we need to do. We have some information that you need to take in. I know this is a lot to give you, young Mabel. Some of it will just be implanted in your mind and you'll remember it later. I know this is hard for you. I'm sorry."
"I'm really confused about everything. I just don't want to remember anything. I just don't want to feel like this. I don't want to feel any of this..."
"I know, young Mabel. There is so much more, but you need time to process this all. Just relax, lie down, and go to sleep. I'm going to leave the door open. No one's going to come in here. I'm going to turn out the lights. You're very safe here. I trust that you'll be able to feel this in your environment. I'm leaving the window open. This is the way it needs to be."
I lie down on the couch and I'm asleep within a minute.